77. Grace, Grit & a Second Heart with Dr. Dawn Mussallem

What does it mean to truly live after hardship? 

In this inspiring episode, I sit down with Dr. Dawn Mussallem, an integrative physician whose story is as extraordinary as her work. A stage 4 cancer survivor who lived with heart failure for over two decades before receiving a heart transplant, Dawn brings a rare perspective on resilience, healing, and hope.

Together, we explore how mindset and gratitude shape recovery, why prevention and screening can be empowering instead of fear-driven, and how food, movement, and rest become powerful daily medicine. Dawn also shares how spirituality and science meet in her own healing journey, reminding us that health is about so much more than the absence of disease, it’s about vitality, grace, and purpose.

Dr. Dawn Mussallem is an integrative physician at the Cleveland Clinic, specializing in lifestyle and preventive medicine. A stage 4 cancer survivor and heart transplant recipient, she brings rare personal insight into resilience and healing. 

We Also Discuss:

(00:00) A story of survival that redefines what healing really means

(03:43) The moment Dawn’s life took a turn, and the resilience that followed

(13:51) Where science meets spirituality in the healing journey

(18:15) Facing life-threatening illness: what loss can teach us about living

(23:15) Near-death as a doorway to transformation and grace

(34:38) Daily practices that turned hardship into healing

(41:59) Why mindset may be the most powerful medicine of all

(47:26) Gratitude as biology: how it rewires the heart and body

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Learn more about Dr. Dawn Mussallem:

Instagram: @drdawnmussallem